About

Painting by Lori Loebelsohn

“Bike Montclair” was founded in 2002 [the name was changed in 2009] with the idea that Montclair could one day become a safe haven for walking and bicycling. Today, we’re a small, dedicated and growing group of volunteers that envisions bicycling and walking as a safe, appealing and feasible choice for all users and all trips, building a strong community fabric on a more human scale. We eagerly seek new members from Montclair and surrounding communities.

Bike&Walk Montclair is a non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization.

All memberships and contributions are tax-deductible.

Mission

Bike&Walk Montclair advocates for a community that embraces safe biking and walking for all.

Vision

Our community is healthy, safe, livable, and embraces biking and walking as an essential part of its transportation system. People powered transportation is a choice, and when biking, walking, and driving, people are courteous and respect each other. Safe, accessible, and easy-to-use infrastructure is designed to connect schools, businesses, parks, and surrounding communities. The needs of people who cycle and walk are taken into account in all municipal planning and decision-making. Our community is recognized as a leading example, where multiple modes of transportation are not just accepted but are actively promoted.

Guiding Principles

  • We believe in the power of the grassroots cycling and walking community and our ability to influence change through open communication, collaboration, building trust, education, and engaged public participation.
  • We pursue creative transportation solutions that increase biking, walking and the use of public transit to improve the health, safety, vibrancy and quality of life for all.
  • We are committed to improving access to a complete and efficient transportation system for all, with particular attention to those communities and areas that have been historically under served.
  • We are passionate that cycling and walking are a means to increase health, economic development, personal happiness, and sense of community.
  • We are passionate about increasing the number of people biking and walking safely, confidently, and knowledgeably and believe that to increase effectiveness, part of this education must include motorists.
  • We believe in building strong board, staff, and partnerships that reflect the wants and needs of our diverse community.
  • We are fiscally, ethically, professionally, and environmentally responsible with our resources and in our work.

Goals

  1. Membership: Represent and serve all people from the Montclair region that bike and walk through organizing and building an active and engaged volunteer-base and paid membership of “2017 by 2017”.
  2. Education and Encouragement: Increase the number of people who bike or walk daily by 50% from 2011 levels and increase annual participation by 50% in bicycle safety, educational activities, and awareness programs across Montclair for people of all ages and backgrounds by 2017.
  3. Advocacy: By 2017, our successes have led to transportation policies and funding priorities that proportionally reduce biking and walking related collisions, injuries, and fatalities by 50% from 2010 levels and result in integrated and safe infrastructure and supporting facilities across the Montclair region.
  4. Building Organizational Capacity: Secure diverse and sustainable funding, a motivated and knowledgeable staff, collaborative partnerships, and effective governance to support our projected membership, advocacy, and education goals.

Benefits

  • Increase health and fitness opportunities for children and adults through active recreation and human-powered transportation
  • Increase the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and reduce dangerous driving
  • Reduce traffic congestion and manage traffic better
  • Improve the environment by reducing fossil fuel use and emitting fewer emissions
  • Stimulate economic development and smart growth in business districts
  • Improve quality of life with vibrant, livable public spaces connecting community
  • Have more fun